1 Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to an electrical power converter.
2 Background Art
Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2014-102017 discloses an electrical power converter, such as an inverter, which includes a housing and electronic devices, such as, semiconductor modules, a reactor, and capacitors are mounted in the housing. The electrical power converter also includes first coolant paths for use in cooling the capacitors and the reactor as well as second coolant paths for use in cooling the semiconductor modules. The first coolant paths are formed in the housing, while the second coolant paths are formed in a coolant unit made of a stack of the semiconductor modules and cooling plates.
The first coolant paths in the coolant unit and the second coolant paths in the housing are connected to each other. A cooling medium or coolant flows in sequence through the first and second cooling paths to cool the electronic devices. The first cooling paths and the second cooling paths are joined together through connecting pipes arranged outside the housing.
The above structure, however, faces the drawback in that dead spaces are created around the connecting pipes disposed outside the housing, which may cause difficulties in reducing the size of the electrical power converter, that is, in conserving space for installation of the electrical power converter in vehicles.